Tukoji Rao Holkar III (1890-1978) (photo of a painted portrait)
Yeshwant Rao Holkar II (San Francisco, PBA Galleries, 23 Feb. 2006, part of lot 135)
Same as above, ca. 1930
They show two maharajahs of the Indian State of Indore, a father and his son (Tukoji III abdicated in favour of his son following an adultery and murder scandal). Both were avid jewellery collectors, and some jewels are displayed with Yeshwant's II extraordinary modern furniture in a superb exhibition, currently shown at the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris ('Moderne Maharajah').
The necklace did catch my eye at the time, but I couldn't place it... Now you've bridged the gap: it is the Dudley necklace. It was sold in the late 1940s with most of the Indore jewels to Harry Winston (with the Indore pears, the so-called "Spanish Inquisition Necklace", now at the Smithsonian...).
Another sale was held some 20 years later, but that's another story.
The necklace was first seen on Shivaji Rao Holkar XII (1859-1908), father of Tukoji III, so it was acquired before 1908:
It must have been part of the 'Crown Jewels' of Indore.
I hope that Harry Winston didn't destroy it as he usually did with historic pieces... Perhaps someone will know more about the Spanish royal connection.
Thomas
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